Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday says he’s well positioned to finally launch a breakthrough for the provincial Tories in Liberal-dominated Toronto.

“I think they recognize that they need seats in Toronto, and that I guess I might have a chance at taking one for them,” the former Etobicoke mayor told reporters Thursday after accepting the nomination in the Aug. 1 Etobicoke-Lakeshore byelection, one of five across the province.

In a strange twist, the riding nomination came open after Steve Ryan, the candidate nominated in December, informed the party earlier he would be withdrawing from the race because of injuries he received in a car accident earlier this year.

“I am thrilled that somebody of the calibre of Doug Holyday . . . is running for the PCs,” said Tory Leader Tim Hudak, who ducked questions about Ryan’s injuries and the party’s courtship of Holyday.

“This is huge for Toronto and the province of Ontario,” Hudak told reporters at factory while campaigning in Scarborough-Guildwood.

Liberal Labour Minister Yasir Naqvi (Ottawa Centre) expressed surprise that Holyday would “align” himself with Hudak, “who was part of a government under (former Tory premier) Mike Harris, who downloaded a tremendous amount of cost to municipalities like the city of Toronto.”

Naqvi also said it is “insulting” to suggest the Liberals called midsummer byelections to keep voter turnout low, which critics charge helps the government.

Holyday, meanwhile, said Hudak approached him right after former Liberal minister Laurel Broten announced her resignation on June 23. As recently as Wednesday night, Hudak insisted Ryan, who could not be reached for comment, was still the candidate.

Like many, the deputy mayor has serious concerns about the Aug. 1 vote.

“A middle of summer election is wrong, but nevertheless that’s when the powers that be have called it,” he said, adding he would take an unpaid leave of absence from his job.

Holyday added he welcomes support from his longtime ally Toronto Mayor Rob Ford.

“Mayor Ford’s support will be valuable. There’s a lot of support for him in south Etobicoke and the Etobicoke area in general actually,” he said.

Holyday noted he has “deep roots” in the riding, though his municipal ward is in a different part of Etobicoke.

“My grandparents moved to Long Branch in 1919 . . . I play old-timers hockey down there . . . I grew up and played lacrosse there and hockey and I still have a lot of friends in the Lakeshore area,” he said.

Holyday gives the Tories, who have not won a Toronto seat since 1999, a shot in a riding that had been held for a decade by Broten.

But despite his name recognition, Holyday faces an uphill battle against fellow Councillor Peter Milczyn.

“Like me, Doug has seen Etobicoke–Lakeshore grow and change over the years, and I look forward to engaging in a thoughtful discussion about our community’s future,” said Milczyn, who is also taking an unpaid leave.

A Forum Research survey last Friday found the Liberals at 50 per cent compared to 25 per cent for the Progressive Conservatives, 21 per cent for the New Democrats, and 2 per cent for the Greens.

Holyday, who is not resigning his council seat, may be haunted by his past crusade to shame then councillor Olivia Chow into quitting when she ran federally.

“The circumstances are entirely different from running municipally knowing that the federal election is planned and coming and they’re seeking the nomination. They’re looking for the bailout position to have a soft landing if they don’t win and that’s exactly what did happen,” he said.

Etobicoke-Lakeshore is one of five byelections Premier Kathleen Wynne called Wednesday. The others are: Scarborough-Guildwood, Ottawa South, Windsor-Tecumseh, and London-West.

In Scarborough—Guildwood — held since 2007 by Margarett Best, who Wynne dumped from cabinet upon taking power in February — the Liberals are running Mitzie Hunter, the CivicAction chief executive officer.

Hunter is up against Conservative realtor Ken Kirupa, a past president of the Canadian Tamils’ Chamber of Commerce. The New Democrats haven’t nominated a candidate yet.

All the byelections are in what have been safe Liberal seats.

The results of the contests will not change the balance of power in the 107-member minority legislature. There are currently 48 Liberals, including Speaker Dave Levac, 36 Tories, and 18 New Democrats.

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